View From The Stands by Graham Clifford this month combines football managers, championships, Wimbledon and humour!

Biography: Graham is the sports editor of the Irish Post newspaper in London and has been a broadcast and print journalist for the last eight years working in the U.K., Australia and in his native Ireland. He presents a show on local BBC radio in the South East of England and claims to have Psychic powers. He once caught a falling star and glued it back in space again and is in line to become the official starter of the Aintree Grand National in 2010! 

Hobgoblin read’s Fabio’s mind (it wouldn’t be hard though!)

He came as one of football’s greatest managers but he well leave in two weeks time as a reject of the international game. He did have a chance to get England back on track against the Germans last Sunday of course but Fabio and his bunch of underperforming and lackluster players hardly left first gear. But what did Capello say to the England players right before the game got underway? Hobgoblin reckons he knows. He wrote “It’s easy in hindsight to see what he must have said - "Pass and move, pass and move". So what did they do? They passed to the Germans and then moved out of the way.! For your entry Hobgoblin, you win £10 in bonus credits but I’m sure that won’t help ease the pain of a shocking world cup campaign by England. Ah well, there’s always four years time in Brazil…..but then Barry Fry might finally have landed the gig he has always craved!

Count me in Pat! 

Now and again you go through the forums and there isn’t too much to get excited about, sorry guys but you know what I’m saying is true! So when I came across the posting from Pat of the Daltons Donkeys yard I sat up straight with shock! If you haven’t seen it here’s Pat’s post: 

“Hi All, 
I am writing this post as maybe a way of getting the community together on finals night/nights. Myself and another stable have been talking about getting a viewing of the finals at my hotel in London. I would love to get to meet the stable owners that I and others race with everyday face to face. It is just a thought at the moment but I would see about getting the races linked up to the big screens I have in the bar and we all could sit down and enjoy them like a night at the races. This is a way of just getting to know people and putting a face to a name. I think it would be good and not that it is me looking for business but I have plenty of rooms if people were looking to stay. [at a reasonable rate] lol It is pie in the sky at the minute but please if any serious interest I would go ahead with it as these are the nights we all have strived towards all season. And who knows it could be a regular thing at other people’s places if it worked out. So any serious interest please post your name and I will inbox you with details. Regards Pat”

What a wonderful idea from a wonderful owner! It was great to see a large group of owners getting in contact with Pat to express interest. I actually know of the hotel involved and can vouch that it’s in a great location and as they have Irish nights during the week sometimes and are big fans of Irish rugby its always going to be a hit with me. Just think of the fun and added excitement such get togethers would produce. Pat, fair play to you, it’s a great idea and if it does take off let me know and I’ll pop along too.

Is that a bit of luck in hour trousers or are you just happy to see me!

As the Challenge finals series get into full swing on raceclubs owners up and down the country as well as much further afield will be keeping their fingers crossed that lady luck is on their side. Some will have pre-race rituals and maybe wear their lucky socks! However others may go for something more….uplifting. The baculum is for many (in the Alaska area and beyond) a symbol of good luck. But what is it? Well it’s little more than a raccoon penis bone and it’s regarded as lucky especially for fertility or gambling. In other words if someone says to you “I bet you won’t have another child” this is the lucky charm to get. These bones go by many names; one of the few that can be said in polite company is “Texas toothpick.” Apparently Sarah Palin swears by them!

Wimbledon’s in the air!

A badminton player, a squash player and a tennis player decided to stay at a country inn, but when they arrived there, the innkeeper told them he only had 2 beds free, one of them would have to sleep in the barn.

"That's OK", said the badminton payer, "I`ll sleep in the barn." So off he went.

A few moments later there was a knock at the inn door. The innkeeper opened the door to see the badminton player who explained that he was unable to sleep in the barn as there was a pig in there, and he could not sleep with a pig.

"That's OK," said the squash player., "I`ll sleep there."

So off he went. A few moments later there was a knock at the inn door. The innkeeper opened the door to see the squash player there, who explained that he was unable to sleep in the barn as there was a cow in there, and he could not sleep with a cow.

"That's OK," said the tennis player, "I`ll sleep there." So off he went. A few moments later there was a knock at the inn door. The innkeeper opened the door to see a cow and a pig stood there......

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